Anti-Islamic State activist injured in bomb blast near his Salahuddin house

Paramilitary fighters and military vehicles are seen during a military operation to retake positions held by Islamic State militants, on the outskirts of Muqdadiyah in Diyala province, north of Baghdad January 25, 2015. Picture taken January 25, 2015. REUTERS

Salahuddin (Iraqinews.com) – An anti-Islamic State activist was injured on Sunday in a bomb blast near his house at Al-Shirqat district in Salahuddin, a source was quoted as saying.

Speaking to Baghdad Today, the source said, “An explosive charge went off near the house of Nuri al-Abaish at Al-Shirqat district in Salahuddin, leaving him seriously injured.”

“He was carried to a hospital on the outskirts of Tikrit city, suffering from severe injuries,” the source said.

Abaish led a campaign to force families of Islamic State militants to leave Al-Shirqat after the Joined Operation Command announced liberation of the district from the militant group on September 22, 2016.

Iraq declared the collapse of Islamic State’s territorial influence in Iraq earlier in November with the recapture of Rawa, a city on Anbar’s western borders with Syria, which was the group’s last bastion in Iraq.

In December, Abadi announced full liberation of Iraqi lands, declaring end of war against IS members, who declared a self-styled “caliphate” in a third of Iraq and neighboring Syria in 2014.

Thousands of IS militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since a government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and a U.S.-led international coalition, was launched in October 2016 to fight the militant group. Nearly five million people were displaced since the launch of the offensives to recapture occupied cities.